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was touched as mine had been。 He felt for my suspense； he shared
my anxiety； he laid aside his own occupation on the spot。
〃Only tell me；〃 he said； 〃how I can help； and I will give every h
our in the day to you and to George。〃
I had come to him with my mind almost as full of his past life as
of my own； I recalled to his memory events in his experience as a
working clergyman in London； I set him looking among papers which
he had preserved for half his lifetime； and the very existence of
which he had forgotten long since； I recalled to him the names of
persons to whose necessities he had ministered in his sacred
office； and whose stories he had heard from their own lips or
received under their own handwriting。 When we parted he was
certain of what he was wanted to do； and was resolute on that
very day to begin the work。
I went to Morgan next； and appealed to him as I had already
appealed to Owen。 It was only part of his odd character to start
all sorts of eccentric objections in reply； to affect a cynical
indifference； which he was far from really and truly feeling； and
to indulge in plenty of quaint sarcasm on the subject of Jessie
and his nephew George。 I waited till these little
surface…ebullitions had all expended themselves； and then pressed
my point again with the earnestness and anxiety that I really
felt。
Evidently touched by the manner of my appeal to him even more
than by the language in which it was expressed； Morgan took
refuge in his customary abruptness； spread out his paper
violently on the table； seized his pen and ink； and told me quite
fiercely to give him his work and let him tackle it at once。
I set myself to recall to his memory some very remarkable
experiences of his own in his professional days； but he stopped
me before I had half done。
〃I understand；〃 he said； taking a savage dip at the ink； 〃I'm to
make her flesh creep； and to frighten her out of her wits。 I'll
do it with a vengeance！〃
Reserving to myself privately an editorial right of supervision
over Morgan's contributions； I returned to my own room to begin
my shareby far the largest oneof the task before us。 The
stimulus applied to my mind by my son's letter must have been a
strong one indeed； for I had hardly been more than an hour at my
desk before I found the old literary facility of my youthful
days； when I was a writer for the magazines； returning to me as
if by magic。 I worked on unremittingly till dinner…time； and then
resumed the pen after we had all separated for the night。 At two
o'clock the next morning I found myselfGod help
me！masquerading； as it were； in my own long…lost character of a
hard…writing young man； with the old familiar cup of strong tea
by my side； and the old familiar wet towel tied round my head。
My review of the progress I had made； when I looked back at my
pages of manuscript； yielded all the encouragement I wanted to
drive me on。 It is only just； however； to add to the record of
this first day's attempt； that the literary labor which it
involved was by no means of the most trying kind。 The great
strain on the intellectthe strain of inventionwas spared me
by my having real characters and events ready to my hand。 If I
had been called on to create； I should； in all probability； have
suffered severely by contrast with the very worst of those
unfortunate novelists whom Jessie had so rashly and so
thoughtlessly condemned。 It is not wonderful that the public
should rarely know how to estimate the vast service which is done
to them by the production of a good book； seeing that they are；
for the most part； utterly ignorant of the immense difficulty of
writing even a bad one。
The next day was fine； to my great relief； and our visitor； while
we were at work； enjoyed her customary scamper on the pony； and
her customary rambles afterward in the neighborhood of the house。
Although I had interruptions to contend with on the part of Owen
and Morgan； neither of whom possessed my experience in the
production of what heavy people call 〃light literature；〃 and both
of whom consequently wanted assistance； still I made great
progress； and earned my hours of repose on the evening of the
second day。
On that evening I risked the worst； and opened my negotiations
for the future with 〃The Queen of Hearts。〃
About an hour after the tea had been removed； and when I happened
to be left alone in the room with her； I noticed that she rose
suddenly and went to the writing…table。 My suspicions were
aroused directly； and I entered on the dangerous subject by
inquiring if she intended to write to her aunt。
〃Yes；〃 she said。 〃I promised to write when the last week came。 If
you had paid me the compliment of asking me to stay a little
longer； I should have returned it by telling you I was sorry to
go。 As it is； I mean to be sulky and say nothing。〃
With those words she took up her pen to begin the letter。
〃Wait a minute；〃 I remonstrated。 〃I was just on the point of
begging you to stay when I spoke。〃
〃Were you； indeed？〃 she returned。 〃I never believed in
coincidences of that sort before； but now； of course； I put the
most unlimited faith in them！〃
〃Will you believe in plain proofs？〃 I asked； adopting her humor。
〃How do you think I and my brothers have been employing ourselves
all day to…day and all day yesterday？ Guess what we have been
about。〃
〃Congratulating yourselves in secret on my approaching
departure；〃 she answered； tapping her chin saucily with the
feather…end of her pen。
I seized the opportunity of astonishing her； and forthwith told
her the truth。 She started up from the table； and approached me
with the eagerness of a child； her eyes sparkling； and her cheeks
flushed。
〃Do you really mean it？〃 she said。
I assured her that I was in earnest。 She thereupon not only
expressed an interest in our undertaking； which was evidently
sincere； but； with characteristic impatience； wanted to begin the
first evening's reading on that very night。 I disappointed her
sadly by explaining that we required time to prepare ourselves；
and by assuring her that we should not be ready for the next five
days。 On the sixth day； I added； we should be able to begin； and
to go on； without missing an evening； for probably ten days more。
〃The next five days？〃 she replied。 〃Why； that will just bring us
to the end of my six weeks' visit。 I suppose you are not setting
a trap to catch me？ This is not a trick of you three cunning old
gentlemen to make me stay on； is it？〃
I quailed inwardly as that dangerously close guess at the truth
passed her lips。
〃You forget；〃 I said； 〃that the idea only occurred to me after
what you said yesterday。 If it had struck me earlier； we should
have been ready earlier； and then where would your suspicions
have been？〃
〃I am ashamed of having felt them；〃 she said； in her frank；
hearty way。 〃I retract the word 'trap；' and I beg pardon for
calling you 'three cunning old gentlemen。' But what am I to say
to my aunt？〃
She moved back to the writing…table as she spoke。
〃Say nothing；〃 I replied； 〃till you have heard the first story。
Shut up the paper…case till that time； and then decide when you
will open it again to write to your aunt。〃
She hesitated and smiled。 That terribly close guess of hers was
not out of her mind yet。
〃I rather fancy；〃 she said； slyly； 〃that the story will turn out
to be the best of the whole series。〃
〃Wrong again；〃 I retorted。 〃I have a plan for letting chance
decide which of the stories the first one shall be。 They shall be
all numbered as they are done； corresponding numbers shall be
written inside folded pieces of card and well mixed together； you
shall pick out any one card you like； you shall declare the
number written within； and； good or bad； the story that answers
to that number shall be the story that is read。 Is that fair？〃
〃Fair！〃 she exclaimed； 〃it's better than fair； it makes _me_ of
some importance； and I must be more or less than woman not to
appreciate that。〃
〃Then you consent to wait patiently for the next five days？〃
〃As patiently as I can。〃
〃And you engage to decide nothing about writing to your aunt
until you have heard the first story？〃
〃I do；〃 she said； returning to the writing…table。 〃Behold the
proof of it。〃 She raised her hand with theatrical solemnity； and
closed the paper…case with an impressive bang。
I leaned back in my chair with my mind at ease for the first time
since the receipt of my son's letter。
〃Only let George return by the first of November；〃 I thought to
myself； 〃and all the aunts in Christendom shall not prevent
Jessie Yelverton from being here to meet him。〃
THE TEN DAYS。
THE FIRST DAY。
SHOWERY and unsettled。 In spite of the weather； Jessie put on my
Mackintosh cloak and rode off over the hills to one of Owen's
outlying farms。 She was already too impatient to wait quietly for
the evening's reading in the house； or to enjoy any amusement
less exhilarating than a gallop in the open air。
I was； on my side； as anxious and as uneasy as our guest。 Now
that the six weeks of her stay had expirednow that the day had
really arrived； on the evening of which the first story was to be
read；